Cpls Mess

Go to page

LE

Last night, I was happily picking my way through my TA post and I came accross a snot-o-gram talking about the Cpls Mess (my name was also spelt wrong which is a pet hate of mine). The short-version is that a mess do was planned and very few put their names down to go. I was one of these non-attenders, mainly due the fact that they told me on the Tuesday that it was happening on the Saturday.
The letter then went on to include such words, in bold, as Dissapointed. The final part of the letter talked about a blanket charge of Â£10 a quarter for all Cpls to fund these mess do's.
To say I was un-impressed was an understatement. Not only was the style of writing arrse, but why should I fork out Â£10 a quarter for mess do's that are poorly advertised? Do they honestly expect you to drop everthing to attend a function with 4 days notice?

Anyhow, enough of me moaning. My questions to the board are:

1) Do you have Cpls Mess Functions?
2) Are they well planned/advertised/attended/etc.
3) Do you pay a subscription? If so, how much per what period and do you think it is justified/too little/too much?

Telling civvy whores that they are "civvy whores" may be big and clever, but it gets you in trouble!

Biscuits_AB said:

F*ck me, lessons on social etiquette from a bag lady? Whatever next?Auld_Yin posting about the dangers of the demon drink?

War Hero

Find out who is in the mess committee and put your grievances to them. If you do'nt nothing will change.

Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either, just f---off and leave me alone.
--------------------------------------------------------
For gold the merchant ploughs the main,
The farmer ploughs the manor;
But glory is the sodger's prize,
The sodger's wealth is honor:
The brave poor sodger ne'er despise,
Nor count him as a stranger;
Remember he's his country's stay,
In day and hour of danger.

Swinger

We don't have a Cpl's Mess, but I've always thought we should. I don't think you'r e allowed to call it a Mwess tho' has to be a "Corporals' Club".
I'd like to hear from others about how they run theirs; authority, committees, rules, funding etc

LE

(Quick look at the Forum heading... "Just TA" not "Juniors"... OK, I can play.)

At the time in question, my inf unit didn't have a Cpls' Club and even the SNCOs didn't use their mess very often, choosing instead to have a crack with the lads. Very matey and not very military, perhaps, but hell, at the end of a drill night we all revert to real people.

On transferring into a Specialist Unit based in a Regular Training Barracks, I got my first taste of a Cpls' Club. My impression of it was that it was naff and avoided it like the plague, as did the majority of the other TA Cpls. The Club itself was fine, but the atmosphere was wrong. It boils down to the fact that JNCOs and Ptes work as a team and IMHO, should play as a team. (Also, there was a distinct pecking order between Cpls and LCpls, a further sub-division).

A Cpl has a responsibility towards the more junior members of his team. I don't know if it's still done, but it used to be the case that when you went to the cookhouse, the Cpl made a point of being last in the queue - a way of ensuring that his blokes were looked after. It's the Cpl who has a handle on the welfare of his blokes and often problems only come to light over a few beers.

I just can't see the benefit of isolating part of the team. Yes, for training NCOs dealing with recruits - a chance to escape from work at knocking-off time - but not as a standard practice.

The SNCOs mess is a different entity. It is something to aspire to (though, in all honesty, it's major benefit is that it's usually quiet) and is a place where the SNCOs can swap secrets. This is fine because everyone knows that SNCOs are bar stewards. A section shouldn't worry that their Cpl is keeping secrets from them; a Cpls' Club undermines transparency.

Anyway, that's my view. Work together, play together and don't isolate your mates.

Clanker

Weve had this discution at my place, and we've thought that this would not work, as there arn't enough numbers to suport it, both a soldiers mess, and CPL's mess. We've had in the past a Cpl's Dinner nite, and that was a really good nite, loads of wine, beer, food, and loads of port. When we're ever having a dinner/social nite, its usual well advertised, SSM tells everybody on parade about it, and you're even asked in the bar at the end of the nite. As we've not got many soldiers/JNCO's we usual have to invite the SNCO's along to make the numbers up.

GCM

You think you've got problems? we'll just not start about our "mess/club" complete with bills & a bar that doesn't open, that we can't use at certain times of the year, little or no furniture, too late I've started but best stop.

GCM

Swinger

Having spent 7 years in the Cpl's Club and having done my bit on the committiee, I would encourage everyone to get a committee together and get doing it!

There are no hard and fast rules, other than the ones set by each individual committee.

Fees - We paid Â£2 per month. It went towards entertainments and such like, but when functions were planned there was also a ticket price of a tenner and if you originally put your name down but later withdrew then you were still charged for it as the committee had budgeted for your financial input.

Getting people to pay up was a different matter, but anyone falling behind more than 6 months was interviews by SSM. If they didnt want to be part of a Cpl's Club then they don't need to be in it. Private soldiers dont have the priviledge.

We had lots of fabulous functions in the Cpl's Club and my advice to you Stabtiffy2b is to get yourself on the committee and get them doing it properly. We held proper 'mess' like meetings with the SSM in attendance in an advisory capacity.

We even went to a holiday camp for the weekend as 'club' trip. My liver still hasn't recovered.

The whole social side of the TA went downhill a tad after Telic as the finances dipped a tad when the guys were away.

War Hero

I'm hoping that the Wonky will be in full swing this Weekend. Who knows, I might even stay for it.

Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either, just f---off and leave me alone.
--------------------------------------------------------
For gold the merchant ploughs the main,
The farmer ploughs the manor;
But glory is the sodger's prize,
The sodger's wealth is honor:
The brave poor sodger ne'er despise,
Nor count him as a stranger;
Remember he's his country's stay,
In day and hour of danger.

War Hero

Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either, just f---off and leave me alone.
--------------------------------------------------------
For gold the merchant ploughs the main,
The farmer ploughs the manor;
But glory is the sodger's prize,
The sodger's wealth is honor:
The brave poor sodger ne'er despise,
Nor count him as a stranger;
Remember he's his country's stay,
In day and hour of danger.

War Hero

You think you've got problems? we'll just not start about our "mess/club" complete with bills & a bar that doesn't open, that we can't use at certain times of the year, little or no furniture, too late I've started but best stop.

But they have just got new carpets. Just wait for the "Take Your Boots off at the Door Policy"

We'll have to wear slippers inside now.

Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either, just f---off and leave me alone.
--------------------------------------------------------
For gold the merchant ploughs the main,
The farmer ploughs the manor;
But glory is the sodger's prize,
The sodger's wealth is honor:
The brave poor sodger ne'er despise,
Nor count him as a stranger;
Remember he's his country's stay,
In day and hour of danger.

GCM

War Hero

All it needs is some cam netting and sandbags in the corner. Oh! and a pole for our Guest Dancers.

Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either, just f---off and leave me alone.
--------------------------------------------------------
For gold the merchant ploughs the main,
The farmer ploughs the manor;
But glory is the sodger's prize,
The sodger's wealth is honor:
The brave poor sodger ne'er despise,
Nor count him as a stranger;
Remember he's his country's stay,
In day and hour of danger.